Managing haloacetic acid substances in water

Phytocontrol has developed a screening test enabling the analysis of 11 haloacetic acids (MCAA, MBAA, DCAA, DBAA, TCAA, TBAA, BCAA, CDBAA, BDCAA, ANA and BNOA) in fresh and atypical water.

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are substances formed when chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in water (for example, decomposing leaves and plants).

Chlorinated HAAs (MCAA, DCAA, TCAA, etc.) are often predominant in water unless it contains a lot of bromide. This then leads to the formation of brominated HAAs (MBAA, DBAA, etc.).

The most commonly found haloacetic acids in drinking water are monochloroacetic acid (MCAA), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), monobromoacetic acid (MBAA) and dibromoacetic acid (DBAA).

Some of them are highly toxic to humans and animals, hence the importance of monitoring them.

Regulation on haloacetic acids

Fresh water environment: The Notice of 19 October 2019 concerning the limits of quantification of “parameter-matrix” pairs for the approval of laboratories carrying out analyses in the field of water and aquatic environments sets the LOQ to be achieved for certain substances.
Currently, only monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) has a limit of quantification of 0.5 µg/L.

Water intended for human consumption: The new European Directive 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption provides for the introduction of a limit of 60µg/L for the sum of the following HAAs: MCAA, MBAA, DCAA, DBAA and TCAA.

The Phytocontrol solution

We offer a list of 11 haloacetic acids for analysis that meets regulatory requirements. Our method is accredited by COFRAC and uses a state-of-the-art, rapid technology: LC-MS/MS by direct injection in water intended for human consumption, surface water and atypical water.